World Cup 2002/Digest A welcome to hooligansPrince Takamado of Japan is concerned that images of riot police ready to do battle with would-be troublemakers at the World Cup finals may create more problems than they prevent.
"If we warmly welcome people as guests, they will not be likely to make trouble, even if they are hooligans," Takamodo, a cousin of Japan's Emperor Akihito and an honourary president of the Japan Football Association, told Kyodo News yesterday.
The prince said that continued reports of police anti-hooligan drills at World Cup venues could make local residents concerned about hosting the tournament.
He added locals might paint all foreign visitors with the same brush. "If people avoid foreigners as a whole without recognising exactly who are the hooligans, ordinary tourists are likely to leave Japan with an image of the Japanese as cold-hearted," he said.
The Prince is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the finals in Seoul on May 31 with his wife Princess Hisako.
The visit, from May 29th to June 3rd, will be the first official trip to South Korea by members of the Japan's imperial family since the end of second World War.
World Cup casualty
Japanese city official Osamu Okamura, who was in charge of training-camp arrangements for Senegal's World Cup team, has hanged himself.
"He left a brief note for his family, expressing his apologies and saying that he was exhausted," a police spokesman said.
Colleagues claimed Okamura had been having trouble finalising the schedule for the Senegalese.
Happy football
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has handed the coveted number 10 jersey to Rivaldo, sending a clear signal that he expects his key playmaker to recover from a knee injury and spearhead Brazil's World Cup bid.
Emerson and Denilson will wear 17 and 27 respectively. "I gave them those because seven is my lucky number," Scolari said. "I like seven, 17, 27. . . and they're two special players. Emerson because he's the captain of the team; Denilson because he plays happy football."
"Missing" tickets
Japanese organisers (JAWOC) have set up an emergency department to deal with fans waiting for almost 150,000 World Cup tickets which have yet to arrive.
Manchester-based Byrom Inc, the company responsible for producing the World Cup tickets, has experienced data production problems that have led to delays in printing the tickets.
JAWOC admitted yesterday they could be forced to hand out tickets to fans on match day unless Byrom can speed up its operations.
Around 20,000 of the "missing" tickets are for first-round matches, JAWOC said.
Absent with leave
A Chinese player left out of his country's World Cup squad has vanished, prompting serious concern at the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
Striker Zhang Yu Ning was left out by Chinese national team coach Bora Milutinovic in favour of veteran Su Maozhen after disappointing in the latest series of practice matches.
He left the team's camp immediately after being told of his exclusion. Chinese newspapers have reported that the CFA is now very concerned about his disappearance.
No poor first-timers
South Korea has eased visa requirements for Chinese football fans travelling to the country to cheer on their team in its first World Cup, tournament organisers have claimed.
Chinese holding World Cup tickets bearing their names, and who have visited Korea before, can receive a visa simply by submitting a copy of their tickets.
However, ticket holders who have not visited South Korea before are required to present a financial document proving a bank deposit of more than $10,000 (US) as well as a copy of their ticket.
It's win or bust
If Italy fail to win the World Cup, the only ball they will have to play with is a ball-and-chain, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday as the players prepared to leave.
"Go East . . . and win, otherwise stay there! And if you do return, to jail!" Berlusconi quipped to players ahead of their flight to Japan.
Interest rates drop
The Republic of Ireland knocking the Netherlands out of the World Cup has meant the Dutch have little interest in the tournament.
Less than half of those polled by a research bureau knew the tournament was in June and only 22 per cent could name the host countries.
